How To Write An Ironic Story: 10 Types Of Irony To Consider
How to Write an Ironic Story: 10 Types of Irony to Consider
Ironic moments in life can make us change our perspectives, laugh, or discover something we didn’t know before. When you’re trying to make them happen in a story, it can be more difficult than you first realized.
Here’s a quick guide to writing irony in your next story so you can think of those moments as a strategic writer.
What Is Irony?
“What? That’s so ironic.”
We’ve all said a similar line when reacting to something before. Do you remember what it was? Can you point out why it was ironic?
Definition 1: Irony is when something happens or someone says something other than what you expect.
Let’s imagine your protagonist walking outside. They’re in a good mood, but quickly realize it’s pouring rain. They were supposed to go on a walk, but they look up at the clouds and say, “What a beautiful day!”
As a reader, you’d expect that character to be frustrated that the rain ruined their plans to go walking. It’s ironic that they actually find the weather beautiful. It might even make your reader laugh in surprise.
Definition 2: Irony is when something happens or someone says something other than what you expect but in a sardonic way.
This might be the definition of irony that you naturally think of. It’s when something unexpected happens and you have a bitter laugh about it. Deep down, you likely suspected the truth all along. The reveal is negative in nature.
Imagine a politician pushing a bill to outlaw the color blue. They make speeches and go on news networks saying how the color blue is a danger to everyone, so it must be outlawed immediately. While pushing this narrative, a journalist discovers leaked photos of the politician’s interior decorating—their home is entirely blue. Additionally, news comes out that the politician had recently received a significant reelection donation from the We Hate the Color Blue corporation.
The reveal means that the politician didn’t believe what they were saying. They were only passing the law because they received money to do so, even though the color blue wasn’t harming anyone or causing a problem.
If you lived in this world, you’d likely read the headlines and roll your eyes. It’s a frustrating irony that isn’t altogether unexpected, but still a reveal.
Ironic Plot Devices
There are a few ways to use irony as a plot device. You can use them to reveal things to your characters, change your plot’s direction, or cause character growth. Check out a few examples to see how.
1. An Unforeseen Blessing
Definition: Something good happens by something bad happening.
A character is in desperate need of a new car. They don’t have the money to buy one and their current vehicle is so old, they won’t get more than a couple hundred dollars to trade it in.
One day while driving it, the car shuts down. The engine melts into the pavement while your character tries scooping it up with an old milkshake cup from their backseat.
Someone records the entire thing from a distance and posts it online. The video goes viral, prompting the milkshake restaurant chain to give the character a brand new car for free.
The loss of their old car and potential public embarrassment is terrible, but your character gets the car they need. Some would say the melting engine was a blessing in disguise. Others would call it irony.
2. Accidental Harm
Definition: Someone attends to hurt someone, but the wrong person gets hurt instead.
There are a few ways this irony could play out. Your protagonist could set a bucket of water over a doorframe, hoping it pours onto their little brother when he gets home from school. However, the protagonist gets distracted during the day and walks through the door themselves. They get soaked and become the target of accidental harm.
Their grandfather could come home before their brother too. When the grandfather gets soaked by the bucket prank, they’re the victim of accidental harm. The irony in both situations is that the actual target—the brother—never has the chance to fall for the prank.
3. Good Actions Have Opposite Effects
Definition: Someone attempts to do something the right way, but it doesn’t work out in their favor.
Your protagonist studies through the night for a high school exam. They pour all of their efforts into staying up and retaining as much information as possible because they realize they need better grades to go to their dream college.
After taking the test and getting it back, your protagonist gets a perfect score. However, the teacher announces they graded everyone on a curve due to an issue with their previous lesson plan. Everyone gets an A and the protagonist gets frustrated because they lost sleep over studying that didn’t ultimately matter.
4. Selfish Actions That Backfire
Definition: Someone does something exclusively for their own benefit and anyone or anything else benefits instead.
A character decides to run in a community race to win the prize money for a vacation. Halfway through the race, they realize they’re out of shape and there’s a shortcut up ahead. They take the shortcut and win, but the judges quickly realize they cheated to reach the finish line.
Their prize money automatically goes to the second runner-up, which happens to be the character’s worst enemy. They watch their worst enemy spend the money on lottery tickets that don’t result in any winnings.
5. Accidental Self-Harm (Physical or Non-Physical)
Definition: Someone attempts to hurt another person, but it hurts them instead.
When you picture this irony, imagine Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote. The coyote always wants to capture or hurt Road Runner, but ends up running into his own traps instead.
Sometimes this irony can be a physical harm from a prank gone wrong or it might be an assassination that doesn’t work out. It could also be a character spreading a rumor to hurt another person, but the rumor affects their own reputation instead.
6. A Sacrifice Without Reward
Definition: Someone makes a major sacrifice that ultimately is meaningless.
Characters experiencing this irony give up something they care about and get nothing to show for it. It might be lighter in nature, like a sister giving up her spot as captain of the soccer team so her equally-talented sister can have the role. Ultimately, the coach cuts them both from the team for not jumping at the leadership role fast enough.
It can also carry a heavier theme. A character could sacrifice to keep their loved one from getting hurt, but they die and their loved one gets hurt in the process anyway. There are multiple ways for irony to serve your plot. You just have to give it a purpose in connection with your theme or message.
7. Great Things Happening to Terrible People
Definition: Someone looks forward to achieving a rare thing they want very badly, but it goes to the worst person they can think of instead.
Your protagonist’s character works hard to put themselves through school, buy a house, and even start a family. One day, they get a letter that a grandparent they never knew recently passed away and wants to give them a million-dollar inheritance. It would free them of their student loan and mortgage debt, but the cruel parental figure that shares your character’s name gets the money instead.
8. An Unwanted Achieved Goal
Definition: Someone finally achieves their long-term goal, but they realize it isn’t what they wanted.
Sometimes the idea of something is better than getting it. Your protagonist may finally move to the mountainside cabin of their dreams, but realize they hate living in an area that gets heavy snow after the first winter storm hits. It’s ironic and a bit depressing, but it shifts your character toward new goals that drive the plot in a fresh direction.
9. Trivial Events Undo a Character’s Work
Definition: Someone’s hard work or life’s work gets ruined by a tiny detail they didn’t see coming.
When someone’s ultimate goal gets undone by something minor, it’s devastating. It’s also something readers connect with because it happens in real life.
Your protagonist might work really hard to earn their pilot’s license, only to get up in their first test flight and realize they have an innate fear of heights. Their future career as a flight operator for a private space exploration company depended on getting that license, so they have to rethink everything.
10. Success Without Meaning
Definition: Someone achieves something at long last, but can’t enjoy it for whatever reason.
Your protagonist decides to become CEO of a major tech company so they can pay off their parent’s debt and provide for them forever. When they finally get that job after a lifetime of earning a college degree and climbing the company’s ladder, their parent doesn’t want their money. Now they’re stuck in a job they might not want for themselves because the purpose behind it will never exist.
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You can write an ironic story with any of these tricks and reach your readers’ hearts. Consider which storytelling tools serve your story’s theme or message to match your plot with the best plot device.
More Posts from Redibanni and Others
If your plot feels flat, STUDY it! Your story might be lacking...
Stakes - What would happen if the protagonist failed? Would it really be such a bad thing if it happened?
Thematic relevance - Do the events of the story speak to a greater emotional or moral message? Is the conflict resolved in a way that befits the theme?
Urgency - How much time does the protagonist have to complete their goal? Are there multiple factors complicating the situation?
Drive - What motivates the protagonist? Are they an active player in the story, or are they repeatedly getting pushed around by external forces? Could you swap them out for a different character with no impact on the plot? On the flip side, do the other characters have sensible motivations of their own?
Yield - Is there foreshadowing? Do the protagonist's choices have unforeseen consequences down the road? Do they use knowledge or clues from the beginning, to help them in the end? Do they learn things about the other characters that weren't immediately obvious?
tcf spoilers (ch 333+)
re-reading White Star's debut in 333 and what came after, and i am once again reminded of how terrifying he was as an antagonist before he became the fandom's silly little meme
some other bits and foreshadowing i forgot/missed and find interesting
WS is proficient enough as a mage to be able to send messages telepathically
...and he used that skill to pester Cale with one-way messages lmao
WS and Cale both felt a sense of kinship the moment they locked eyes, which they both chalked up to their similarities in abilities and appearance (but it's probably more because of KRS' soul recognizing its original body)
Eruhaben says WS looks 20 (and 200+ chapters later Cale himself says he looks to be in his early 20s. If og!Cale is older than KRS, does that mean it took KRS a few years before he got kicked out of his body by WS and settled into Earth 1? Or is it the time difference between the two worlds?)
WS just affectionately addressing Cale while spouting terrible things
The Power of Silence in Dialogue
We often think of dialogue as something that’s just about what characters say, but let’s talk about what they don’t say. Silence can be one of the most powerful tools in your writing toolbox. Here’s why:
1. The Unspoken Tension
When characters leave things unsaid, it adds layers to their interactions. Silence can create a tension that’s so thick you could cut it with a knife. It shows things are happening beneath the surface—the real conversation is happening in what’s left unspoken.
Example:
“So, you’re leaving, huh?” He didn’t look up from the table, his fingers tracing the rim of his glass, slow and deliberate. “Yeah.” “Guess I should’ve expected this.” (Silence.) “You’re not mad?” “I’m not mad,” she said, but the way her voice broke was louder than anything she'd said all night.
2. Building Anticipation or Drama
Sometimes silence can heighten the drama, creating a pause where the reader feels like something big is about to happen. You don’t always need words to convey that sense of dread or anticipation.
Example:
They stood there, side by side, staring at the door that had just closed behind him. “You should’ve stopped him.” She didn’t answer. “You should’ve said something.” The room felt colder. “I couldn’t.” (Silence.)
3. Creating Emotional Impact
Sometimes, saying nothing can have the biggest emotional punch. Silence gives the reader a chance to interpret the scene, to sit with the feelings that aren’t being voiced.
Example:
He opened the letter and read it. And then, without saying a word, he folded it back up and placed it in the drawer. His fingers lingered on the wood for a long time before he closed it slowly, too slowly. “Are you okay?” He didn’t answer.
TL;DR
Silence isn’t just a pause between dialogue—it’s a powerful tool for deepening emotional tension, building anticipation, and revealing character. Next time you write a scene, ask yourself: what isn’t being said? And how can that silence say more than the words ever could?
Storytelling in Any Season
Incorporating the seasons into my stories is enjoyable. Not only are seasons a relatable life experience, but passage of time can be tricky to portray without them. The best part about adding the seasons to a story is that they have strong potential to aid the plot.
Seasonal details that are easy to add to create the scene and affect the plot.
CLOTHING; if I walk this path in winter, I have to wear huge boots that can handle slick mud. If I walk it in summer, the dead grass scratches my bare legs because now I am wearing shorts.
EXTREME TEMPERATURE; whatever we do today it better be indoors and out of this heat wave/blizzard. If the battle/heist/romance/etc. takes place in this weather, there will be consequences!
CHARACTER MOOD; autumn is Character A's favorite time of year! they gain a positive, upbeat attitude as soon as they see signs of autumn. Character B feels dread and becomes easily agitated during autumn. The two of them clash more in autumn than any other season.
EVENTS; holidays aside, some seasons may be busier for one character than another. I had a weekend job during summers and was rarely available. Weddings are most common in spring. Community events that affect traffic, shops, or social atmosphere can occur at any time of year.
TRANSPORTATION; some parts of the world rely on different transport for different seasons. A bicycle when it is temperate, a bus or train when it is miserable. A car for dry weather is replaced with a car outfitted for inclement weather. A regular trip to the grocery store may even need to be cancelled completely. And don't forget air and water travel!
HISTORY/TRAUMA; certain seasons in your story may be marked by pain. This is the season the war took many lives. This is the month unforgettable tragedy occurred. The upcoming season marks the anniversary of a huge mistake we'd all like to forget. Social and personal customs will reflect this memorial.
FOOD; in the modern-day US we are used to most foods being available year-round. This is not the case globally or historically. Seasons can be marked by what foods are or aren't available. This can include meat, produce, and dairy, but it can also extend to dishes and meals.
RESOURCES; like food, weather and climate affect access to many things your characters may need. Washed out roads halt shipments, but heavy rain is good for crops. Intense heat can damage perishable supplies, but dries out firewood fast. Natural disasters halt production while simultaneously increasing demand. Even a weather event in another hemisphere can affect your character's resources.
Whenever you think "How do I portray the changing seasons?" pay attention to the changes you have to make each season. Places you go, your personal habits, the items you carry with you, the events you prepare for, and all of these real-life details affect YOUR "plot" every day. Consider which ones would affect your characters, and use them to both set the scene and move the story along.
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✩ This was written in response/addition to @writingquestionsanswered post Incorporating Seasons Into a Story. Please see their post for other important tips!
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Oh no! They're gonna die if they keep this up, please stop removing us, Kris! This is for your own good!
Funky whatevee
You are an anonymous professional assassin with a perfect reputation. You lead an ordinary life outside of your work. You’ve just been hired to kill yourself.
I think the reason Ralsei doesn't turn to stone in other dark worlds might not be because he's created by the Grand Fountain. I think...
...It's because belonging is at the very core of who he is. Kris wants more than almost anything else to belong, to fit in and not be an outcast. But to do that, they would have to discard everything that makes them themself. Ralsei is what Kris wants to be, but not in the way you might think. Kris wants to belong, and Ralsei is who they would have to be in order to belong.
He's a goat, like the rest of Kris's family. He's smart, polite, helpful, does whatever you ask him, and lets you walk all over him. He doesn't treat himself like a person. Everyone's always asking, why can't you be more like your brother? And now you are. And that's what Ralsei is.
The people in the light world would take him for granted, just assume he's happy, and not wonder how he really feels. Fortunately, however, Ralsei's friends are Kris and Susie. They're not like the rest of hometown. They just want him to be himself and learn and grow with them. They just want to be his friends.
Let me be clear: Ralsei is his own person. He's only just starting to figure out who he is, beyond what I've described above.
I just hope we can be friends with everyone some day.
People have a very consistent habit of completely forgetting Ralsei's existence.
Maybe he even forgets it himself sometimes.
Queen often outright ignores him...
Noelle doesn't usually acknowledge him, though she's usually very polite and friendly...
And it's not like she can't see him - she sees him get into the teacup with Susie and Kris...
...and realizes he's standing in front of her at one point.
She even wonders who he is...
...but, strangely, never asks him his name or talks to him when she gets the chance.
Even Susie, who is generally very good about remembering him...
...sometimes just forgets he's there.
(even squashing Ralsei and walking over him on her way to ask Kris if they missed her)
Strangely, Ralsei doesn't seem to mind this.
But there is one exception: when he finally puts his foot down to stop the Roaring.
Suddenly he's got everyone's attention:
Susie gives him a concerned look, Noelle notices him, and he completely cows Berdly, which might be a first for the whole cast.
Even Queen reels from what he says.
This leads me to believe that the reason people ignore Ralsei isn't from some sinister magic thing.
It's because he usually doesn't take a stand for his own existence.
He's so wrapped up in his "purpose" that he doesn't allow himself to have an identity.
Even to Ralsei, "Ralsei" barely exists.
And although people don't intend to, sometimes that means he winds up forgotten when he's standing right next to them.
Finally – a proper TCF timeline!
At long last, I made a semi-coherent tBoaH/TCF timeline for myself
Obviously there are many characters I didn't list, but at least the main players are all there. It's a bit confusing in places, but that's how it is when you deal with time travel, lol
(Sorry for the crude "___" form but apparently the Tab key doesn't work!! 😕)
Timeline POVs
___________________age_____year(tBoaH)_____year(TCF)
Ancient times______-_______~10,000 B.F.C*__- Sheritt's death____~800____8-9,000 B.F.C___- Cale B.'s birth____0_______~220** B.F.C____- Eruhaben's birth___0_______219 B.F.C_______- Choi Han arrives___17______600-700_________- KRS's og birth***__0_______<=763___________<=767 1!KRS's birth______0_______767_____________745 2!KRS's birth______0_______-_______________763 Ron's birth________0_______721_____________- Beacrox's birth____0_______751_____________- Alberu's birth_____0_______758_____________- Destr. of Molan____-_______~759****________- Cale's birth_______0_______763_____________- On & Hong's births_0_______771, 774________- Raon's hatching____0_______777_____________- Destr. of Harris___-_______28th March 781__- OG!Cale regresses__40______803_____________- KRS transmigrates__36______-_______________781 Cale meets ChoiHan_18______781_____________- Meeting On & Hong__7, 10___-_______________781 Meeting Ron________60______781_____________- Meeting Beacrox____30______781_____________- Raon's escape______4_______781_____________- Meeting Alberu_____23______-_______________781 Meeting Cale B.____16-21___-_______________783 Sealed god's test__20/38___783 (for 2!KRS)_765 or 787 (for 1!KRS)
28th March 781 - the only exact date we got I believe
Events which happened only in tBoaH (the Birth of a Hero timeline) or in both are on the left, events from TCF (Trash of the Count's Family timeline) are on the right.
"Destr." is short for "destruction", since I couldn't find a better shorter word
1!KRS and 2! KRS refer to Kim Rok Soo from Earth 1 (the 36 years old KRS turned MC Cale) and Kim Rok Soo from Earth 2 (the KRS who's 20 years old). (...which lead me to the whole confusion with dimension travel ages?? That's why there are 2 sides. How do you count age, from which timeline, before or after regression? So I decided to include both.)
* - Before Felix Calendar begins ** - or >240 B.F.C if his first life counts *** - the birth of KRS's originally intended body, taken over by White Star (Cale B.) through reincarnation **** - I think it was mentioned that Beacrox was 8? I'm not 100% sure tho since I don't remember the chapter
Finally, someone talked about Ralsei and Susie's friendship! Compared to Susie and Kris, their friendship may seem subtle to the point of overlooked but it makes all the difference once you notice it!
Something I like about Susie and Ralsei's friendship...he's not afraid to get mad at her.
Her, a Lightner, and furthermore, a hero of prophecy.
And what's better is that this is how Susie wants it.
Ralsei handed her the opportunity to treat him like a servant on a silver platter, and she rejected it wholesale.
And alongside being able to get mad at her, he acknowledges she has faults...
...but he appreciates her as a person. She's actively teaching him that it's okay to have faults, and that you can still like someone who has faults.
Susie is trying hard to have an equal relationship with someone who was inclined to be worshipful of her, and it's working - and both of them are better off for it.
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